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Laura Muir wins third consecutive 1500m title at European Indoor Championships

Laura Muir wins third consecutive 1500m title at European Indoor Championships
© Reuters
Great Britain's Laura Muir wins a record fifth gold medal at the European Indoor Athletics Championships, clinching the women's 1500m title in Istanbul.

Great Britain's Laura Muir made history with a third consecutive women's 1500m title at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul.

The 29-year-old - who scooped gold in the event in 2017 and 2019 - burst forward in a sensational final lap to clinch yet another title with 4:03.40 on the clock.

With Muir also boasting a pair of 3000m titles from the 2017 and 2019 Championships, the Olympic silver medallist now has a record five European Athletics Indoor Championships titles to her name - steering clear of Colin Jackson and Jason Gardener.

Claudia Mihaela Bobocea of Romania finished nearly four tenths of a second behind Muir in second with 4:03.76, while Poland's Sofia Ennaoui clinched the bronze medal with 4:04.06.

Meanwhile, Muir's compatriots Katie Snowden (4:07.68) and Ellie Baker (4:10.96) finished fifth and 11th respectively, although Muir admitted that her strategy "went out of the window" at the start of the race.

"I didn't really know what to expect and all my race plans went out the window when it went off that fast," the 29-year-old told BBC Sport.

Laura Muir pictured at the World Athletics Championships on July 18, 2022© Reuters

"At the end of the day you have to be adaptable in the 1500m and it worked out in the end. I'm in a place now where I'm experienced and I can deal with different things. I'm just so happy.

"Going into this championship I was quite nervous because I didn't think I was at my absolute best, but I hoped with grit and determination I would still be able to come here and win. As you get older you appreciate these opportunities."

However, Muir's title would be the only medal that GB would add to their tally on Saturday, as Jeremiah Azu (6.58) and Reece Prescod (6.64) finished outside of the medals in the men's 60m final, which was won by Italy's Samuele Ceccarelli.

Keely Hodgkinson and Guy Learmonth would book their spots in the women's and men's 800m finals respectively, but Isabelle Boffey was unable to join the former, being eliminated in the semi-finals.

Elsewhere, the men's and women's 400m titles were decided, with Norway's Karsten Warholm winning gold in the former race with a time of 45.35, while the Netherlands' Femke Bol (49.85) took the women's crown.

Wilma Murto made history for Finland with a winning jump of 4.80m in the women's pole vault - a national record - and the Turkish crowd had a gold medal to cheer for home favourite Tugba Danismaz, who also jumped a national-best 14.31 to win the women's triple jump.

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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson celebrates victory in the women's 800m at the European Championships on August 20, 2022.
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